The Box Office Thread

Well that still doesn't explain why the hell anyone was voting for Ordinary People in the first place.

Empire wasn't nominated, the other two nominees were Coal Miner's Daughter and Tess.  I think the loss had less to do with vote splitting and more to do with the fact that the members of the Academy are a bunch of basic bitches.

I loved Jim Carrey as a kid. I may have been to young to appreciate his popularity, but I was a fan.

I also rewatched Raging Bull last week with a buddy of mine, not intending it to coincide with the anniversary.

Well, Jim Carrey is Canadian. He's probably a national treasure over there.

Ah ok, that makes sense then.

THIS WEEK IN BOX OFFICE HISTORY


10 years ago, PhantomKnight 's favorite Harry Potter movie, The Goblet of Fire, was released and grossed $102.6 million in its opening weekend.

15 years ago, PG Cooper 's favorite holiday film, The Grinch, opened with $55 million. It would go on to become the highest grossing movie of 2000. I shit you not.


20 years ago, for Jibbs and an entire generation, this was their introduction to James Bond




GoldenEye opened at #1 with $26.2 million. That's $50 million in today's money. It went to gross $106.4 million domestically. That's $207.6 million adjusted for inflation. It's not bad for a franchise that was declared dead 6 years earlier.


If you're an active user of the Internet, and who isn't, then you know Home Alone turned 25 this month. But to be more specific, the anniversary was on Monday. If you're as old as Doomsday and thebtskink you would remember Home Alone being HUGE. How huge, SnoBorderZero may be wondering. Well, Home Alone was the #1 movie in North America from November 16 till February 7. Let me repeat that for IanTheCool . November 16, 1990 till February 7, 1991. This fucking movie was #1 even after the holidays were over. In total, Home Alone grossed a modern equivalent of $564.9 million. It's the 39th highest grossing film of all-time.


For Deexan




30 years ago, WAY before Jim Carrey was The Grinch, and even before he was white guy on In Living Color, he had the #1 movie in America. I shit you not. It was a little movie called Once Bitten.




And now, for the main event. Today, yes TODAY, is the 35th anniversary of... wait for it... HEAVEN'S GATE. I wonder if Heaven's Gate will make Dracula 's list of the 100 greatest movies. It DOES have its defenders, but it's more commonly known as the movie that ruined Hollywood. People can point at Jaws or Star Wars as the beginning of the end, but it was really the failure of Heaven's Gate that forced Hollywood to take less risks and rely more on proven formulas. Heaven's Gate cost $44 million to make, which is more than Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, and made only $3 million. In other words, United Artists lost $41 million on Heaven's Gate, without counting marketing and distribution, and even THAT is higher than the budget for Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back. United Artists, a legendary studio created by Hollywood's earliest stars, had to file for bankruptcy and eventually sold off to MGM. Keep in mind, when I say $41 million, I'm talking 1980 money. This was also a different time for Hollywood. Disney, for example, had major flops in recent years with John Carter and The Lone Ranger, but they survived because they're part of a conglomerate. That wasn't really the case back then. Most studios were still independently owned and a major flop could take down a studio. In that sense, the failure of Heaven's Gate is also responsible for Hollywood joining conglomerates. They feel safer that way. So next time you're questioning Hollywood, remember one thing, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Heaven's Gate were released in the same year. That will answer all your questions.

Do you go to school with Vader?

I hope so. Him and I can get plastered together and have ourselves a time.

I like Elf, it's definitely one of the best holiday films to be released over the last 30 years. Is that saying much? No, but it's a good movie even if it's wildly overplayed.

Home Alone and I will forever be linked by 1990. It was just meant to be. That movie is every kid's dream. And then it throws this sentimental cheese at you but that brilliant score makes it all work. Yeah, I got this awesome house to myself, and then you're like ah man, I miss my family, even Buzz and the shitty uncle. And I know we have a multi million dollar home in the suburbs of Chicago, but can you free loading fucks go somewhere else for Christmas next time? Nah, just kidding, I missed ya.

Neverending, don't tell me you were too cool/old for a Talkboy after Lost in New York.

I remember seeing Home Alone in theaters. One of the greatest days of my life.

Yes!  I remember that commercial too!  This was the most amazing toy at the time.  Kids these days have no idea how cool it was to have a fun voice recorder like this.

And yeah, Buzz really deserved to die.  I mean he takes the last slice of pizza, his girlfriend is hideous, and he shows no signs of being worried about Kevin.  So weak.